Stock Transfer Services Glossary
47 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
Re-registration
The process of changing the name or form of ownership in which shares are registered on the books of the transfer agent, such as following a death, marriage, legal name change, or gift.
ABA Number
A nine-digit bank routing number issued by the American Bankers Association, used by transfer agents to direct electroni...
Affidavit of Loss
A sworn legal declaration submitted by a registered shareholder to a transfer agent certifying that a share certificate...
Beneficial Owner
An investor who enjoys the economic benefits of share ownership but whose shares are held in street name through a broke...
Book-Entry
A method of recording and transferring ownership of securities electronically, without the issuance of physical certific...
Cede & Co.
The nominee entity of the Depository Trust Company (DTC) that appears as the registered holder of record for virtually a...
Corporate Action
An event initiated by a public company that brings about a material change to its securities, such as a stock split, div...
CUSIP
A nine-character alphanumeric identifier assigned to North American securities, used universally in transfer agent and c...
Dematerialisation
The process of converting physical securities certificates into electronic book-entry form held on the records of a depo...
Dividend Reinvestment Plan
A program administered by a transfer agent that allows shareholders to automatically reinvest cash dividends into additi...
DRIP
Abbreviation for Dividend Reinvestment Plan, a programme that allows shareholders to automatically reinvest cash dividen...
DRS
Abbreviation for Direct Registration System, a method allowing investors to hold shares in registered form directly on t...
DSP
Direct Stock Purchase Plan — a programme that allows investors to purchase shares of a company directly from the transfe...
DTC
Abbreviation for the Depository Trust Company, the central securities depository for the United States that holds securi...
DTCC
Abbreviation for Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, the parent company of DTC and NSCC, providing clearing, settle...
DWAC
Acronym for Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian; an electronic transfer mechanism that moves securities directly between a t...
Escheatment
The legal process by which unclaimed property—such as dividends, proceeds from share sales, or dormant account balances...
Ex-Date
The date on or after which a buyer of shares is no longer entitled to receive the declared dividend or other corporate a...
Ex-Dividend Date
The date on or after which a buyer of a security is not entitled to receive the next declared dividend; shares purchased...
Exchange Agent
A financial institution, typically a transfer agent or bank, appointed to facilitate the exchange of securities in conne...
FAST
Acronym for Fast Automated Securities Transfer; a DTC program that links transfer agents electronically to DTC's book-en...
Form W-9
An IRS form used to certify a U.S. payee's taxpayer identification number (TIN) and backup withholding status, commonly...
Fractional Share
A portion of a whole share of stock, arising from corporate actions such as stock splits, dividend reinvestment, or stoc...
ISIN
Acronym for International Securities Identification Number; a twelve-character alphanumeric code that uniquely identifie...
Letter of Transmittal
A document submitted by a shareholder to a transfer agent or depositary agent instructing the tender or exchange of shar...